Heater control valve and switch



April 23, 1946. v, HUDSON 2,399,033

HEATER CONTROL VALVE AND SWITCH Filed 001;. 2, 1945 VZlZ an INVENTOR.

By 24. %&

LS a/ezzl #1256721?! Patented Apr. 23, i946 HEATER CONTROL VALVE ANDSWITCH Verne L. Hudson, Wichita, Kans., assignor to Boeing AirplaneCompany, a corporation of Delaware Application October 2, 1943, SerialNo. 504,715

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to control means for heaters and the likeand more particularly to improvements in coincidental controls for fluidvalves and electric switches for aircraft and other vehicle heaters.

In certain types of heating units, and more particularly those which areused for the heating of the closed spaces of aircraft and othervehicles, the heat is derived from the combustion of a mixture ofgasoline, or other fuel, and air, which combustible mixture is ignitedelectrically. The products of such combustion are usually passed througha suitable radiator having suflicient surface exposed to the air withinthe space to be heated and which is frequently accelerated by means of afan or blower. Inasmuch as it is essential that the fuel-air mixture isignited substantially coincidentally or simultaneously with,

its initial flow, it has previously been proposed that a coincidentalvalve-switch unit be provided with a single manual control for thesimultaneous operation of both the switch and the valve. The presentinvention relates to an improved coincidental valve-switch control forthese and similar installations.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedunitary valve and switch control wherein both instrumentalities arecoincidentally and simultaneously operated by a single control element.It is a further object to provide a control unit which is adapted to beused in conjunction with valves and switches of existing designs and toserve additionally to support these instrumentalities upon an instrumentpanel or other suitable wall or support.

It is a still further object to provide a relatively simple, foolproofand economical control device of this nature which will stand up underthe rigorous conditions met with in vehicle service and operation. It isa further object to provide a unitary control which is readilyassembled, or disassembled, from its valve and switch instrumentalities,or from the supporting panel, for servicing or repair; and whichprovides novel and advantageous relationships between the variouscomponents comprising the control assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the followingdetailed specification and the accompanying drawing forming a parthereof, in which;

Fig. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a preferred form of myunitary valve and switch control;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting flange of the valve showingits operating connection; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rotary cam element of the controlunit.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown the complete unitary controlassembly comprising the valve V, the switch S and the intermediatecontrol and supporting unit C by means of which the assembly isinterconnected and operatively mounted upon the wall, panel, or othersuitable support 5. The valve V may be of any standard type generallyused for such purposes in aircraft and other vehicles, having a threadedinlet connection 6 to which the fuel supply tubing or conduit is adaptedto be attached and retained as by the lock nut I. This valve maypreferably be formed with a partially cylindrical main body portion 8within which is mounted the rotatable plug valve element having ahexagonal projection or stem 9 extending beyond the flange I0. The valveis also provided with a threaded outlet connection II similarly adaptedfor attachment to the conduit to the heater combustion chamber or otherdevice to be supplied by the fluid. In the valve V, which has beenselected for explanatory purposes only, the inlet and outlet connectionsare shown at right angles to each other being attached to the valve bodyportion 8 by means of squared or hexagonal portions by which they areadapted to be held by a wrench or other gripping device to facilitatetheir disassembly, or their connection to the fluid conduits. It will beapparent that valves of other types of construction than that which hasbeen shown and described herein will also be adapted for use with thepresent invention.

The switch S is preferably of a well known type generally referred to asa micro-switch provided with a quick make-and-break spring or otherresilient means for rapidly interrupting and closing an electricalcircuit to prevent undue arcing. This switch mechanism is enclosedwithin the housing I2, through the upper surface of which extends theexternally threaded tubular mounting connection l3 which also serves asa guide for the plunger [4. The latter is continually urged outwardly bythe aforesaid spring of the switch mechanism into the oil position ofthe switch, depression of the plunger I 4 into its guide l3 causingclosing of the switch mechanism. Suitable electrical leads or wires [6,by

means of which the ignition element of the heater is connected with asuitable source of, energy, are connected to the switch mechanism by thethreaded terminals I! which extend through the g the plug mechanism froma fully c s l8 following which t h housng. It W111 be ObVlOllS to or thecontrolbody or hou lng il ssg s h i l le d iri the ait that otherplunger or the switch S is threaded into the tapped boss 22 i hes of tes which and retained therein by the lock-nut l5. The elefii sy b e gi ii l l e t g gztsi ifi r use installaments which have thus been assembledare then tion may be substituted for that shown and de- 5 positionedagainst the pan pp 5 Such t a scribed herein, and that where it isdesirable the the reduced diameter end of the cam member (51:-electrical leads may be brought through a suittends through the p gafter which e able conduit or within an armored cable and terhandle 25 yhe t a h d by the pm 23 and H138 minal fitting such that their liveparts or conflange a d to the pa el y t ehatwtw t t- 111 not be exposed1o ment screws 2|. It will be noted that in t is s age The controlassembly C is housed within the 9 t asse bly the cam member 23 isretained tubular fitting or body 18 having a main axial 111 Its D l W 1h1n he housing 13 against the b 9 and t m end flanges 29 drilled andshouldered portion 24 1n contact or contiguous tapped as at Zlh toreceive the mounting screws the face of 1 panel y the etent on eflect2!. The body 181s also provided with a down- 01 t d e at having its hubfac e bearing Wardly extending boss portion having a bore at against 01'contiguous with the opposite face or right angles to the main bore l9and is interfront of the panel Thebperatmg and stop nally threaded as at22 to provide for mounting 710115 of h Valve i le nd tS lange andsupporting the threaded connection 13 of f then inserted Wlthlll e Openid Oft L the switch S to which it is retained by means of 0 housmg Wlthh hgiagonalheagl t I to the threaded lock nut I5. The body of the conandsnugly ellgaglng e ll g n the cam trol housing and support portion 13according1 member 23. The valve V 15 then securely attached takes on aT-form having flanged ends and an to the assembly by means offlthe Spassin internally threaded outlet 22 of somewhat smallthrough the fi andThe condult er diameter than the main bore "L or tubing connections canthen be made to the As shown in detail in Fig. 3 the cam member Inletand Outlet 5 and respectlvely, d the 23 is formed with a diameter to befreely rotatable lead? may be attached to 5 2 S Q at t Within the boreIQ of the control body and the tel'mlnals F Complete the Installation. t1 length of the cam shaft 23 is such that its inner T Opemmon the ig, chend approaches the fla of the Valve V in 0 unit when used In an electr cigni ion gasoc axial alinenient with the rotatable valve elements h557.5468? Is as p T us i i and the stem 8. This inner end of the cammemg i fis fggz l a g fiz g fi g i 232 5 2 ggg j 3 :3 ,gi g i z figiggg}have been properlyconnected to the ignition for nal head or operatingstem 9 of the valve. The the heater combusilon mamber as as to theopposite end of the member 23 is shouldered at 24 f of electllcil energyIn the pos.ltlon h w to provide a reduced diameter portion 25 which isthe cross-seem")? of the y j h unlt 1T1 freely rotatable within theopening 5h in the supdog 3 is on the slde of 9 porting panel 5 againstwhich the shoulder 24 is membe.r e h p ff f a1 y adapted to to 1.6mm themember 23 in em clockwise direct1on ll'lbO the peel ion in w 1011 1asement with the valve operatin head 9 A engages and is Stopped by theprojection 33b at control handle 26 having a suitably bored hub bottomof the d to Valve and at 2? is provided for attachment to the end 25 ofits flange In thls pofltlon m which the V L trol unit is indicated inFig. 1 the full diameter or" 'g fg g g z g f i s g 415 the cammingsurface 230 has been rotated into 'g i. cylindrical surface of the calmthe lower position where the plunger I4 of the :nember adjacent theplunger I 4 of the switch micro-switch has been depressed and the switch8 serves as d"camming surfaze 23c and is is in the closed position forthe ignition of the rupted by a milled off or cut away fiat portion 29 7fjg g g gf g fli g g g 5;" which when rotated into contact with theplunger $5 which i vsalv 3,, g f i4 permits the same to move upwardlyunder the Su 1 flows therithrmf h m h ate influence of the spring in theswitch mechanism, gfig chamber g e e r to thereby open the switch.

. f Referring now to Fig. 2 there is more clearly In Ordel to close theValve and Open the w 'hhhndl2"'s'oat u rl d shown the hexagonal head 9of the valve operat- 3: i g i i g g g gg i E mg shaft or Stem Whlchextends p the counterclockwise direction as viewed looking toflange Idof the valve V. In fixed relat1onsh1pto Ward the handle from the from ofthe panel 5. the and its flange and a i beyoPd As this rotationcontinues through the requisite the surface of the flange there isprovided a disc angle, the edge of the fiat Side of the cam Surfaceplate 32 upon which there also fixedly 29 comes into contact with therounded end of mounted the grooved plate :33 provided wlth top theswitch plunger M, permitting the Same to and bfittol'n Stops ploiectlons3315 and 33b, tend upwardly under the influence of the switchspectively. The cam member 23 is formed with spring to a position inwhich the quick action of an integral s portion as shown in 3 the springsnaps the switch beyond the dead- Which extends yond the inner end ofthe cam center position and the contact is broken, as the member suchthat it engages the stops 33$ a valve is simultaneously fully closed.33b, thereby limiting the rotation of the cam As indicated above, thecoincidental valvemember to somewhat more than and less than switchcontrol comprising the present invention degrees, or equivalent to therotative angle 7 is adapted to support and operate other valves requiredto move the valve operating shaft 9 and than that shown in the drawingso long as they losed to a fully are of a rotatable plug, cook orsimilar type with opened position of the valve. quick-opening features.In valves in which the The control unit is preferably assembled by firstrotation limiting means are integral or built-in, inserting the cammember 23 within the bore [9 75 the dog 3| and engaging stops mayobviously be dispensed with. The present switch control is also adaptedto support and actuate microswitches and similar contact switch devices,other than that which has been selected for explanatory purposes.Similarly, the attachments of the control body to the valve and switchdevices may be either of the screwed, bolted, riveted or other type.Other forms and modifications of the present invention both with respectto its general arrangement or specific details which may become obviousto those skilled in the art after a reading of thisspecification areintended to come within the scope and spirit of the present invention asmore fully set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

Means for actuating and supporting a unitary valve and switchconstruction upon a panel support comprising a housing member providedwith oppositely disposed end attachment means for connecting said memberto said valve and to the far side of said panel support respectively,said valve having an actuating stem, said housing member having acylindrical bore co-axially disposed with respect to said actuating stemof said valve, said switch having a reciprocalole actuating part, arotatable actuating element journalled within said cylindrical borehaving a clutching recess at its inner end for engagement with saidvalve actuating portion, a cam face portion for engagement with saidswitch actuating part and a reduced diameter stub portion extendingthrough said supporting panel at its opposite near end, stop meanscooperatively carried by said valve and said rotatable element adaptedto limit the rotation of said valve actuating stem, and manual meanshaving a hub portion engageable from the near side of said panel withthe said stub portion of said actuating element adapted for the rotationof said valve and switch actuating element.

2. Means for actuating and supporting a unitary valve and switchconstruction upon a panel support comprising a cylindrical housingmember provided with oppositely disposed end attachment means forconnecting said member to said valve and to the far side of said panelsupport respectively, said valve being of the rotary type having anextended actuating stem, said switch being of the rectilinearlyreciprocable type having an extended actuating plunger, said housingmember of substantially T-formhaving an,aperture axially disposed at itsinner end to receive said valve actuating stem and an aperture radiallydisposed intermediate its end portions adapted to receive said switchactuating element, said housing member having means adjacent saidapertures adapted for the attachment of said valve and switch thereto,said housing member having an attachment flange disposed at its near endfor connection to the far side of said supporting panel, a rotatableelement having an end socket and side cam face adapted for engagementwith said valve and switch actuating elements respectively, saidrotatable element journalled within said housing member and having astub portion at its near end extending through an opening in saidsupporting panel, and manual means having a hub portion engageable fromthe near side of said panel with the said stub portion of said rotatableelement adapted to limit the axial movement of said element with respectto said supporting panel and said housing member, said manual meansadapted for the rotation of said valve actuating element.

3. Means for actuating and supporting a unitary valve and switchassembly upon a supporting panel comprising a housing member providedwith oppositely disposed end attachment means and laterally disposedattachment means for connecting said member to said valve, to saidsupporting panel and to said switch respectively, said housing memberbeing of substantially T-form having an aperture axially disposed at itsinner end to receive an actuating portion of said valve, said housingmember having a laterally disposed aperture intermediate its endportions adapted to receive an actuating portion of said switch, saidhousing member having means adjacent said apertures adapted for theattachment of said valve and switch thereto and having means disposed atits near end for attachment to said supporting panel, a rotatableelement having means disposed at one end for engagement with said valveactuating portion and means intermediate its end portions for engagementwith said switch actuating portion, said rotatable element journalledwithin said housing member and having a reduced diameter portion at itsnear end adapted to extend through an opening in said supporting paneland manual means having a hub portion engageable from the near side ofsaid panel with the said reduced diameter portion of said rotatableelement adapted for the manual actuation of said valve and switchelements.

4. In an aircraft heater control mechanism,

means for coincidentally actuating unitary valve and switchinstrumentalities comprising a panel having an aperture within whichsaid valve and switch assembly is adapted to be supported, a housingmember provided with end attachment means and laterally disposedattachment means for the connection of said member to said valve andswitch instrumentalities, said housing member having an opposed endattachment means for the fastening of said housing member to said panel,said housing member being of substantially T-form having apertures inthe region of its said attachment portions to receive actuating portionsof said instrumentalities, a rotatable element having means disposed atone end and intermediate its end portions for engagement with theactuating portions of said instrumentalities, said rotatable elementjournalled within said housing member and having a reduced diameterportion at its near end adapted to extend through said aperture in saidsupporting panel, and manual means having a hub portion engageable fromthe near side of said panel with the said reduced diameter portion ofsaid rotatable element adapted for the coincidental manual actuation ofsaid valve and switch instrumentalities.

VERNE L. HUDSON.

